How Should I Care for My Fan?
1. Most of the feathers are dyed, so it is important to keep the fan out of strong, direct light, especially sun light, to keep them from fading.
2. Use an ordinary lint brush (the cloth type, not the sticky tape kind) to brush both the fabric and feathers.
3. Over time, the feathers will dry out. Living birds constantly rub oil into their feathers to keep them soft. You can do this by rubbing some hand lotion (NOT BABY OIL) on your hands and then rubbing them onto the feathers. Do both sides of the duck wing base. This works less well for the peacock and ostrich feathers. They will need to dry out after an application of lotion in order to look fluffy again.
My Fan Got Rained On! What Should I Do?!
One word - blow dryer. On the low setting, blow both sides until the feathers are dry. Some of the dyes will run, especially the reds. To keep this from happening, blot your fan with dry paper or cloth towels as soon as it gets wet. Also, try one of Fancy Things plastic-lined fan covers. Just slip it over your fan at the first drop of rain and your fan will be protected. Barring that, you can keep a one-gallon freezer bag handy if it looks like it might rain.
How Should I Display My Fan?
Well, either right side up, or upside down! To display
the fan right side up on a wall, stick two long, quilter's straight pins
approximately an inch and a half apart and place the handle of the fan
between them. To hang it upside down, stick a tack or small nail in the
wall, tie a knot or bow in the fan's ribbons and hang them from the nail.